Dough-molding apparatus.



L ECKEL.

wurm Mmmm Ammus.

'PPLCATiON HULL? PR, 25. 19ML Lll, Patented Dee. 14, 1915.

2 snErs-snen x.

@mi/humo ma@ nto@ L. ECKEL.

DOUGH MOLDING APPARATUS. APPLICATIQN mio APR. 25. 1914. 1,168,814. Patented Dec. 14, 1915y 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

LOUIS ECXEL, 0F MOUNT-VEBN05N, NEW YORK.

DOUGH-MOlDING Arriaga* u S.

Specicatiomof Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

Appucazion mea Aimi 25, 1914. seria! No. 834,414.

To all 'wl'om z't-may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS ECKEL, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at MEitF Ver# non, county of Westchester, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful "Improvements in Dough-Molding Apparatus, of 'which the following isa specification.

The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for automatically molding pieces of dough into loaves or into any desired shape, and to effect the expulsion of gases contained in the dough simultaneously with the molding thereof. And to this .end

the invention resides in providing a rotor l' for advancing and rolling the dough upon :1 stator lin the form of an inclined platform and thence onto a second inclined platform on which the dough is rolled by the action of gravity .andwhich directs the dough onto an apparatus for forming it into loaves or pieces of any desired shape.

Other objects willappear and be better understood from that embodiment of my inf-vention of which the following is a specification,' reference being had to the accom- .panying drawing forming part hereof, in

which l F igure 1 is a side elevationpartly in section of the invention. Fig. 2 is a detail cross Ysection showing yan element for forming a flattened oblong-loaf. Fig. 3 is a detail .cross' section showing an attachment for sub-dividing a piece of dough into pieces of required dimensions. Fig. 4 is a detail front eleval'tien of an element for forminga Vienna loaf.

1g. 5 is an enlarged detail vertical section taken at'rght angles to Fig. 1 and showing adetail. plan of the rotor and the stator.

the apparatus for rolling the dough into: balls and for conveyirigthe same. Fig. 6 is The rotor 5 is superimposed upon an upright support 6 and bearing balls 7'are inter. posed between the roller and the support G to lfileifitate the turning of the rotor'on the support. The rotor is formed of wood or otherl suitable material and the upright support 6 is suitably fastened tothe floor, such as by bolts 8. i The stator 9 surrounds the rotor 5 and is so constructed that it will function as 4a platform' for a piece of dough interposed between it and the 'rot-or, and coperatewith the rotor in the advancing Aof the dough thereby from one end of the stator to the other. In the present instance the stator is tached at one en'd to the .upright suppcrt 6' and encircling the rotor 5. The spiral is preferably formed of metal and rectangular in cross section and has its inner surface arrangedoblique to theouter surface of the rotor. In consequence of the inclination of the stator to the rotor atrough, somewhat V-shape in cross section,is provided for the dough. And since the stator is in juxtaposition to the outer surface of the rotor thedough-is thereby pre` ventedfrom falling through the trough.

It will be observed that the outer surface of the rotor is convex so that when the dough in the trough is operated upon by the turning of the rotor and advanced along the Alower edge of the stator a. round or spherical shape will be imparted to 'the dough, due to the irelling action 1t received on the surfacesofthe rotor and stator. Tofacilitate the roundingof a piece of dough advancing through the afore-` said trc'igh the stator is provided at chosen intervals and on its inner surface with protuberances 10-of any desired configuration and arranged so as to intercept the dough as this .1s moved through the trough.v By the presence of the protuberances'it yis calculated that thesewillso operate on irreglnlarities in the surface of the dough lmoving thereagainst as to render these symmetrical with the rounded portion of the'surface ofthe piece of dough'by the time that this has.

been advanced to the upper end of the stator.

It will be observed that the upper end or" the' stator is disposed above the upper end of the' rotor, in fact, its end edge extends substantially coincident with the wall of an axial opening 11 formed in the rotor so that the dough upon `approaching the end 4of the stator, will be deflected thereby into the opening 11 and onto an inclined spiral plat form 12 which entendsv reversely to the spiral of the stator and is' arranged in the opening 11.V The upper surface of the i lat form is disposed obliquely to the wall of the opening 11 so that an angular shaped trough is provided for the reception of the dough droppin into the opening 11. The dough upon falling onto the platform 12 is oper- 4los ated by gravity to descend on the said platform, the lower end of which is arranged to discharge the dough onto the mechanism vfor forming it into loaves or other desired shapes and which will subsequently be des scribed shown in the form of an involnte spiral at- The rotor isldriven by a suitableiaggzctor (not shown) to which it issuitaoly connected. ln the present instance, the connection..

is shown to be eliiected by means of an open ended cylinder 13 which surrounds the vopening 11 and which is bolted as at 1 4, or

. nent of a bevel gear, the other component 15` of which is attached to a driveshaft 16. Located below the opening v11 and in alinement therewith is one end of an endless conveyor 17 mounted on the conventional form' of rolls 18 which are carried hybearings forming part of uprights 19--j19rI One of these rolls, to wit, one of the end rolls, has a drive shaft 2O which is suitably corr A nected to a motor (not shown)which voponto which the doughis precipitated from the opening 11. This bolster is constructed so as to deliver the dough to the conveyer 17`and Ato restore the symmetry which the i dough may have lost in dropping from the platform 12 onto the bolster. 1n the present vinstance this, bolster is shown to. be formed of a pair of hemisphericalmeinhers 21 and the convex-surfacesof which are opposed and arranged in juxtaposition. The bolster 22is mounted upon a shaft23V which isv geared as indicated by 24 to lthe shaft 16.

The bolster 21 is mounted on a shaft 25 which is journaled in a bearing 26. With thisl construction it isrobvious that a piece of dough dropping onto theelements121 and 22, will, when the member 22 rotates for instance in the direction of arrow shown in Fig. 1, be. advanced onto the conveyor 17 and at the saine time turned` on the surfaces of the elements 21 and 22 and thereby rounded. 4

Arranged over the upper surface of the conveyer 17 is a cylindrical roller 27.3vhirh is Ijournaled in the uprights 19. This roller has flanged ends 28 and its siirface isl ar'- range-d in such relation to the upper surface of the conveyer 17 as to effect a predetermined reduction in cross sectionaly aree of a relatively large piece of dough conveyed thereunder and beyond,hy the conveyer 17, forv instance, the pieceo't' dough indicated by the arrow on the left in Fig. 1 will have received a compression of reduction as indicated by 28 in the same figure, while Vbeing conveyed from the` position indicated by the arrow to that indicated by 2S. The up rights 19 to the right of the roller 27 in Fig. 1 of the drawings are adapted torperniitting the journaling therein, a. cutter made up'of s series of blades 29 mounted on a shaft 3G shown in Fig. 3, or coni cared roller 31 shown in liig. e. upright.: are also further adapted to, permit ot the cutter, or'roller 31 being readily ait-v.

each other as to admit of their adjacent surfaces providing an upwardly inclined trough on the outer face of the rotor adapted for containing the dough to bel molded,

lthe said rotor-and stator being further arranged so as`-to permit the rotor in turning and to the upper end of the stator, and still further arranged so as to have .the upper A to advance the dough through the` trough` erates'to drive thek conveye'r 17, interposed Y between the upper face of the conveyer and the lower end of the opening 11 is a bolster end of the trough positioned to direct the dough into the upper end "oft-he rotor, means for operating the rotor, and a rotating bol- .ster arranged substantially in axial aline-1 ment with the opening of the rotor for the purpose set forth.

I 2. A dough molding `apparatus comprismg a. hollow o'pen ended rotor, espiral stator surrounding the rotor, the said rotor and vstator being arranged in such relation to ,each other as to admit of their adjacent surfaces providingan upwardly inclined,

troughon the outer face ofthe rotor adapted for containing the dough to be molded,

the said rotor and stator being further :ir-- ranged so as to permit the :rotor in turning to advance the dough through the trough and to the upper endA of the stator, and still 'I i further arranged so as tolhave the upper end of the trough positioned to direct the dough intothe upper end of the i rotor-,'- .means for operating the rotor, a rotating ,bolster arranged in alinement with the opening of the rotor, anda conveyer dis# posed beneath the bolster for the-purpose set forth. v 1

3. A dough molding apparatus compris ing a hollow open-ended rotor.l a spiral stator surrounding the rotor, the said rotor and stator' being arranged in such relation to each other as to admit 0f their adjacent surfaces providing an upwardly inclined trough on the outer face of the rotor adapt= ed for containing the dough to be molded,

the said rotor and stator being further ar ranged so as ,to permit the rotor in turningto advance thedough through the trough and to the. upper end of the stator, and still further arranged Aso as to have the upper end of the trough positioned to directthedough into the upper end of the rotor. means tor. opera-ting the rotor, a holster arranged and a spiral platform arranged on the inner surtace of the rotor and adapted for receiv- 'in elinenient with the opening of the rotor,

stator surrounding the rotor, the said rotor and stator being arranged in such relation to each other as to admit of their adjacent surfaces ,providing an i'ipwardly inclined trough on the outer face of the rotoradapt-- ed for containing the dough to be molded, the said rotor and stator being further arranged so as to permit the rotor in turning to advance the dough through the trough and to the upper end of the stator, and still fur- "ther arranged so as to have theupper end of the trough positioned to'direct the dough into the upper end of the rotor, means for operating the rotor, a bolster arranged in aliiiement with the opening of lthe rotor, a spiral platform arranged on the inner surface of the' rotor andadapted for receivi ng the dough directed int'o the'iipper end of the stator and for directingr the said dough into the bolster, and a conveyer.disposed beneath the bolster for the purpose set forth.

5. A.d'oigh molding apparatus comprising" a hollow open-ended rotor, a spiral stator surrounding the rotor, the said rotor and stator being arranged in such relation to each other so as 'to admit of their adjacent surfaces providing an upwardly inclined trough on thel outer vface of the rotor adapted for containing the dough to be molded, the said rotor and stator being further arranged so as to permit the rotor in turning to advance the dough through the trough and to the upper end of .the stator, and still further arranged so as to have the upper end of the, trough positioned to direi-t the dough into the upper end of the rotor, means for operating the rotor, a bolster arranged in alineinent with the opening-of the rotor, a spiral platform arranged on the inner Surface of the rotor and adapted for receiving thedough directed into the upper end of the stator and for directing the said dough into the bolster, a`conveyer disposed beneath the bolster, and 'a series of rollers disposed transversely of the conveyor and arranged in operative relation thereto for the purpose set forth.

(. In an apparatus for molding dough..

the combination of an open ended rotor. :i spiral shape statorsurrounding the rotor andzhaving its upper end edge disposed above the rotor and substantially in alinei ment therewith` and a spiral plat-form located Within the rotor and arranged to receive the dough, said platform disposed so v rotor and means for operating thebolster as to extend reversely to the spiral of the stator so as to direct the dough through the bottom of the rotor. "1l

7. I n an apparatus for molding dough t T the combination of an open-ended-rotor van '55- a spiral shape stator surrounding the rotor, the adjacent surfaces of said rotor and stator being arranged in such relation as to provide a spiral dough trough, the upperj end of which is arranged to discharge into the opening of the rotor, and a spiral inclined platform located in the opening of the rotor and arranged to receive the dough, said platform disposed so as to extend reversely to the spiral of the stator so as to direct the dough through the bottom of the rotor.

8. A dough molding apparatus comprising a hollow open-ended rotor, a spiral statorsurrounding the rotor, the said rotor 30 and stator being arranged in such relation j g tomeach other as to admit of their adjacent surfaces prov-Hingm" upwardly inclined trough on the outer face of the rotor adapted for containing the dough to be molded, the said rotor and stator being further arranged so as to permit the rotoriin turning to advance the doughthrough the trough. and to the upper end of the stator, and `till further arranged so as to have the upperend of the trough positioned to direct the dough into the upper end ofthe rotor, a bolster comprising a pair of rotatablememberd'arranged in aliiiement with the opening of the and the rotor.

9. In an apparatus for molding dough, the combination of an open ended rotor and a spiral shaped statorsurrounding the rotor, the adjacent surfaces of said rotor and stator being arranged in such relatipn as to provide a spiral dough trough, the upper end of which is arranged to discharge into the opening of the rotor, a spiral platform.' located in the opening of the rotor and arranged to receive the dough, said platform disposed so as to extend reversely to the spiral of the stator so as to direct the dough through the bottom of the rotor and abolster comprisingr a pair of rotatable members arranged in alinement with the opening of the rotor 'for the purpose set forth.

In testimoni Ywhereof I; Louis ECKEL have signedmy name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 21st day, of Ap'ril1914.

' l LOUIS ECKEL. Witnesses:

C. JAMES CRoNiN, M. E. LAUciiLiN. 

